London, V&A, Harrods and Macaroons

Hi all,

So yesterday I took another trip to London, this time to meet up with Sophie from imitation is the greatest form of flattery . So, we had booked tickets for the ball gown exhibition at the V&A, which was really amazing. There were ballgowns from all different decades. My favourites were definitely the ones from the 1950's, and some of the more modern ones were really amazing too (McQueen!!)

After looking round the exhibition we moved onto the general fashion exhibition. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the ball gown section due to copyright reasons, but I took a good few in the general one. Here are some of my favourites..

Evening dress, Pierre Balmain, 1957

Shoes, Roger Vivier for Dior, 1958-60 

Evening dress, Pierre Balmain, 1950

'Zemire' evening ensemble, Christian Dior, A/W 1954

Evening coat, Jean-Philippe Worth, 1909

Bodice and Uncut length of dress fabric, about 1865

Day Dress, about 1908. (I love the top of this!)

Walking dress, 1817-20

Riding coat and waist coat, about 1790

After the V&A we went to whole foods to get some lunch. I didn't bother to take a photo, because I had the exact same thing that I had last week when I went, except this time I had the sour cherry iced tea. (it kind of tasted like harribo sweets!)

After lunch we went to harrods to have a look around, then we bought something (not actually from harrods though) we both go macaroons in Ladruée. I got a vanilla one, and a raspberry one, and Sophie had a coffee one and a salted caramel one. They were so yummy!

Sophie and I outside Harrods

MACAROONS!!!

We wandered back to the V&A and ended up outside sat on the spinning top style seats. They roll around 360 degrees, but unfortunately Sophie couldn't get it to spin round. Me on the other hand, I got a bit too confident and fell off!

I had a really great time in London with Sophie, and I'm looking forward to my next trip (whenever that will be) :)

xox Niamh xox

Latex Mermaid

Hi all,

Here is another art project which I have completed. This was my A level exam project. The exam is 15 hours long (spread over 3 days, don't worry they didn't keep us locked up for 15 hours straight) But still 15 hours is quite a long time, especially when in silence... with no i-pods allowed!!! The topic I decided to go with was water... So I first took some underwater photos, then did some painting.. and somehow I ended up using latex as scales, creating a mermaid. I have always had a fascination with myths and legends, and I wanted to be a mermaid when I was younger :) 

I made a chicken wire frame for the tail and covered it with plaster of paris. It was a half scultpture, rather than 3D.

I can only say one thing, cutting out the scales took a really long time!!! I put ink in the latex when I poured it out and made swirly patterns. All of the scales then layered up on the tail. The fin was tyvek (like what I used in the flower sculpture)

This is the fin...

I cast the back of a friend of mine, then poured latex into it to make the upper body of the mermaid. I attached the two together. Oh and the hair was a blond wig, which I beat around a bit.

Here she is at my schools art exhibition. I love how they put sand around her. She was on the floor, the second you walked into the room, and I was a little worried someone wouldn't see her and would fall over her! :)

Well I hope you have enjoyed seeing this. Its quite different to other things I have made :)

xox Niamh xox

D.I.Y Green Tea Eye Pads

Hi all,

Well, after a long haul of revision and exams I have been left feeling really tired. This tiredness can sometimes show as little baggies under the eyes, or slight puffiness. I wanted to try to make something with what I have at home that would combat it, and give me a relax session as well. So I decided to make green tea eye pads.

Green tea is really great stuff! Its been used in medicine in China for thousands of years, and is perfect for detoxing the body. Green tea has antioxidant properties, and can calm skin reducing redness. So thats why i'm using it for the eye pads.
This is so easy to do...

You could use bagged green tea, or loose green tea. Whatever you have at home. Peppermint tea might even work well.

I personally prefer loose green tea, I find its less sharp than bagged. This is the green tea I am currently drinking (its really good!)

So there's the loose green tea. You want to grab some of that, or your bag and put it into a cup.

I have this funky tea spoon which I put my loose tea leaves in. You can leave them loose also.

Add hot water and let the tea brew for about a minute. Grab two cotton eye pads. (you could do this with more, and make a stock pile of them)

Soak your cotton pads into the green tea, then squeeze out the excess so they are damp but not completely saturated. 

Pop the pads onto a plate, then put them in the fridge for a little while. You could use them now if you wanted a warming eye pad, but I want one with a cooling sensation, so into the fridge for 20 mins or so to cool down.

Then, once cool, place on the eyes and lay back and relax. You could go all out spa treatment with a facemask, candles and calming music if you want. (here I am looking extremely hawt!! lol)

Well I hope you have enjoyed, and will give these a go. Even if it doesn't reduce the bags, it is a really nice cooling sensation on the eyes, nice to have a few mins of chill time :)

xox Niamh xox

The Liebster Blog Award

Hi all,

I have just been nominated for the Liebster Blog award by the lovely Mandy from The little things in Life mean the most. Thank you so much to her for even considering me for this award. Its targeted towards bloggers who have less than 200 followers and there are some requirements that go along with it...

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves to get to know the blogger.
2. Answer the 11 question that the person who awarded you posted to be answered.
3. Choose 11 people to whom you want to award this.
4. Tell them that you nominated them.
5. And last, make up 11 question for the next person to answer. 

So here we go....

11 random facts:

• I am re-watching the Harry Potter films from the very beginning (I still haven't watched the last film, even though I have had it on dvd since when it came out!)
• I used to hate getting dirty when I was little. I would have to change as soon as I got a speck of anything on my clothes.
• I love cooking, and one of the first real meals I cooked was when I was 8. I made a curry, and it turned out way more spicy than intended, but I still ate it (because I had made it)
• I have the same clock in my bedroom that I have had since I was a baby.
• I am half Irish 
• I can't stand mushrooms
• I love ice skating, I wish I could do fancy tricks like spinning :)
• I always wake up stupidly early, like 6.00, even when I don't need to. And I can't stay up really late, cause I will fall asleep!
• I self taught myself the guitar (I know a good few chords, but thats it)
• I have been blasting Carrie Underwoods new CD, Blown Away, everywhere since it came out last week. I am now word perfect on just over half of the new songs!
• I really didn't like Latin when I had to study it. I even cried in a test once, when I was the only one left trying to finish!

The 11 Questions from Mandy:

1. What is your favorite food? Pineapple (or any kind of fruit really!)
2. What is the food that you hate the most? Hmm, I would have to say.. capers
3. If you could do anything in the world, what would it be? Become a famous fashion designer, or work for Dior or McQueen. (I know thats a selfish thing though) I might also say, find a cure for cancer.
4. What is your favorite talent that you have? I am really patient, so I will happily put loads of time into something really small (without going mad) so that in the long run it pays off. I think that is a talent.  
5. Do you play weird games in cars on long rides, if so, what? Oh yes, looking at the reg plates, we would say the name of the driver, where they are from and what they do. eg. MYH - Maria from Yorkshire is a Hairdresser. I used to also count the car of different colours.
6. Do you have pets? I had a pet rabbit called gingernut, till last year when he had to be put down :(
7. What are your nicknames? I don't have many (its kind of hard to make a nickname for Niamh) Neevie is the only one. Oh and someone used to call me Niamhalina Ballerina (I don't even do ballet)
8. Have you ever been lost, where? Yes, well I wasn't lost, but my parents didn't know where I was. In seaworld in Australia. I was on the ferris wheel, so I could see them running around.
9. What's your favorite song? Right now it would have to be Good Girl by Carrie Underwood
10. What are your pet peeves? Disorganisation, People who think that they are always right and tube tickets that 'require assistance' to get you through the barriers.
11. If you only had one thing, what would it be? Family (thats kind of one thing) I would be nothing without my family.

My 11 Questions

1. Where in the world would you go if you could?
2. Who inspires you the most?
3. Whats your favourite season?
4. If you could only paint your nails one colour for the rest of your life, what colour would you paint them?
5. Favorite film?
6. If you could meet anyone through history, who would you choose to meet?
7. What one thing did you wear when you were growing up that stands out in your mind?
8. Where do you love to shop for clothes?
9. What is your dream job?
10. Is there anything you take for granted?
11. If you were an animal, what would you be?

And finally my nominations:

• http://ellen-elle.blogspot.co.uk/
• http://imitationisthegreatestformofflattery.blogspot.co.uk/
• http://www.julierosesews.com/
• http://kassicalife.blogspot.co.uk/
• http://mygirldolliepop.blogspot.co.uk/
• http://sophiameola.blogspot.co.uk/
• http://taniareveals.blogspot.co.uk/

Wow that was long! Hope you enjoyed. Thanks again to Mandy :)

xox Niamh xox 

London and CSM

Hi all,

So last thursday I went down to London, on my own for the very first time! I think my mum was more nervous than me :) I managed to find everywhere I was going fine, and get the right train home in one piece.
So on this trip my intention was to go and see the Central Saint Martins graduate exhibition. Thursday was the last day it was on, so I seized the chance to have a look around. The new Kings cross building is absolutely stunning. I walked in and my jaw dropped to my feet, and I wandered around in a similar style. The work was really good, I looked at all of the areas exhibiting but I was determined to find the fashion first. I really liked the knitwear pieces, particularly the ones with flowers. Some really amazing designers are coming out of the knitwear course (Rebecca S Adams, Yuhan Chen, Fei Feng)
I really liked the fashion womenswear and textiles pieces. I took a few pictures of things (till I saw a 'no photos' sign, no one had said anything to me about taking them though!)

After wandering around the whole of central st.martins exhibition several time I popped on down to regent street and did a little window shopping. (I bought a new pair of denim shorts, very exciting!)

Here are some of the pictures I took throughout the day...

Here is my very scrummy lunch, that I got at Whole Foods. (I also got my tea there later) 

These interesting looking objects were made by Catherine Verpoort. They were part of the Textiles Futures section of the exhibition. She had explained how they were to encourage ladybirds back into gardens, and act as a new environment for them to live in in an urban environment. 

Another collection in the Textiles Futures was this one (unfortunately I don't have her name) These amazing pieces change colour when wet, turning from a pale lavender colour to a fushia. It was really interesting to see them changing colour.

This bird sculpture was in the BA fine art section. I wasn't able to find the name of the creator, but I was pulled in by the sheer number of wings, the colours and textures. 

Again in fine art was this pen on paper piece (which was quite big! 120x153cm ) by Alison Griffin. I loved the ambience she created in it. Its eerie, and pulls you in.

An ensemble from the graduate diploma in fashion. 

Moving on to the Womenswear.. This amazing piece was made by Teruhiro Hasegawa. I absolutely love the textures he has created in this. The only thing that kind of annoyed me about the womens wear collections were that they were hanging from the ceiling, and not on mannequins. It was hard to picture what some of them would look like on a person. 

I really loved the colours in this dress by Alan Chow BA(hons) Fashion Womenswear

Crystal Lu BA(Hons) Fashion Womenswear. This quite futuristic looking dress is really amazing on a model, playing with distortion with the figure. 

Nayuto Yamamoto BA(hons) fashion design print 

Hee Jin Kim BA(hons) fashion design print

Sian Joo Hyoun Lee BA(hons) fashion design print. I love the braiding on the shoulders, and the delicate pattern against the nude background.

Maia Bergman BA(hons) fashion design print. This one was amazing under lights, all of the little beads reflect the light. 

Irina Gusakova BA(hons) fashion design print. I like how poppy this is. The print is so cute, and I love the little cut out with the pleated skirt panel.

I wish I had taken more pictures. I am going to try to track down pictures for the knit wear designers that really caught my eye. Look out for a future post!

xox Niamh xox

Bath Spa Graduate Fashion (part 2)

Hi all,

Here is part 2...

Emma Tee - The Forgotten

Emma Tee - The Forgotten

Emma Tee - The Forgotten

Emma Tee - The Forgotten

Maylee Speller - The Cartography Generation

Haf Evans - (These ones lit up!)

Haf Evans

Alanna Kaye - Imitation

Rebecca Head - 1/600

Rebecca Head - 1/600

Rebecca Head - 1/600

Rebecca Head - 1/600

xox Niamh xox